Segment Information and Geographic Data - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Sep. 24, 2011 Year Contract Country Store Vendor	Sep. 25, 2010	Sep. 26, 2009
Cash payments for capital asset purchases	$ 4,260	$ 2,005	$ 1,144
Number of countries with Apple retail stores	11
Number of High Profile Stores	19
Percentage of net sales by country	The U.S. and China were the only countries that accounted for more than 10% of Company’s net sales in 2011. No single country outside of the U.S. accounted for more than 10% of net sales in 2010 or 2009.
Retail
Cash payments for capital asset purchases	612	392	369
Operating Expenses of high-profile stores allocated to corporate marketing	$ 102	$ 75	$ 65
Customer Concentration Revenue
Percentage of Net Sales			One of the Company’s customers accounted for 11% of net sales in 2009.
Maximum \| Other Customers
Percentage of Net Sales	No single customer that accounted for more than 10% of net sales in 2011 or 2010.

Disclosure of the number of countries outside of the US with revenue greater than 10 percent of total revenue. For example, includes revenues from transactions with a single country amounting to 10 percent or more of the entity's revenues, the total amount of revenues from each such country, and the identity of the segment or segments reporting the revenues.

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Number of countries with Apple retail stores, including the U.S.

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Number of high profile stores open as of the balance sheet date.

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Expenditures for planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services. Costs of public relations and corporate promotions are typically considered to be marketing costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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The cash outflow for purchases of and capital improvements on property, plant and equipment (capital expenditures), software, and other intangible assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Subparagraph (c)

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Disclosure of the extent of enterprise reliance on its major customers. For example, includes revenues from transactions with a single external customer amounting to 10 percent or more of the entity's revenues, the total amount of revenues from each such customer, and the identity of the segment or segments reporting the revenues. A group of entities that the entity knows to be under common control generally will be considered a single customer for inclusion in this item. The federal government, a state government, a local government (for example, a county or municipality), or a foreign government each will generally be considered as a single customer for inclusion in this item.

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